Consumer Reports

December 3, 2009

Check out this Consumer Reports study on the safety of store-bought chicken. The study shows that two-thirds of the chicken tested harbored salmonella and/or campylobacter, the leading bacterial causes of foodborne disease.

Consumer Reports tested three top brands: Foster Farms, Perdue, and Tyson—as well as 30 nonorganic store brands, nine organic store brands, and nine organic name brands. Campylobacter was in 62 percent of the chickens, salmonella was in 14 percent, and both bacteria were in 9 percent. Only 34 percent of the birds were clear of both pathogens. Most contaminated were Tyson and Foster Farms chickens. More than 80 percent tested positive for one or both pathogens.

I read about this somewhere recently and the article mentioned the good safety rating of Bell & Evans Chickens. I can attest they’re quality birds, and if you ever read Ina Garten’s cookbooks, she always uses that brand as well.